In Darkest Night
by RyuTheMagi
Summary: In a world ruled by the magick of wizards, a lonely elf is driven to get revenge now that a long time enemy is out of its planar prison in Tattarus. Before he can defeat darkness itself, he must first become what he hates so much...
1. the abonination called Ryu

****

Introduction

Words From the Circle of All

_I depends upon us, of course. Everything does. _

Who shall live…who shall die. What is…what was…and what shall be.

Imagine we are hovering above you, as you mortals seem to think we gods do. There is a vast ocean below. Its shores splash against the rocky cliffs of Clangor… the beaches of Manidoth. Where Me' Hein's tree-towers of profane ignorance stand tall and proud; with the illusion of power. With a breath, we could blast the towers; the beaches; the cliffs; the cities of falsity into oblivion. Mortar the mountains into a fine powder, scatter the twisted tombs of false knowledge across the countless planes of hellish glory. Hide them in the far corners of the Abyss.

Now imagine we are standing. The sea hangs upright before us, a sparkling mass of green-blue tapestry stretched across the endless expenses of the heavens. Its white-capped waves fall against the shore. Taunting it yet again. Me'Hein's towers hang like heavenly towers of power. Or so some say. They know nothing of true power. They are weak. With a though, we could release the fullness of the ocean unto its towers, skewering the library of lies and hate from this world; erasing even the faintest memory of its pages of deceit. 

I all depends up us you see. The Thirteen. The All. Nothing is certain until we have beheld it and set it into its place upon the world of Mal' Hal'. Until we have placed it above; below…before, or after. This is our world. My world. I mold and shape it to my whims like an artist works with his clay. By our will the sun doth shine, and the moon doth glow. For in life…and most certainly in death, you will appear before our thrones, with naught by a name and a soul. And we will judge you. You are the visitors. We are the masters. 

Know the names. Respect the names. Love the names. Fer the names. For we are the Great Ones. We are everything. We are the face behind the mask.

Signed,

****

THE CIRCLE OF THE ALL

Galicran The Mighty; Lord of Magic; Master of the Council of All

Nec' Tul The Reaper; Lord of Death; Keeper of The Black Book

Yuthgol The Keeper; Lord of Time; Supreme Ruler of the River Styx

Odin The Wise; Lord of Intelligence; The Ever-Watchful Raven.

Cyrik The Dark; Lord of the Night; Master of Murder

Selya the Beautiful; Lady of the Mirror; Queen of Vanity

Shiva the Destroyer; Lady of Chaos; Goddess of the Insane

Hera the Supreme; Lady of the Royal; Sovereign of the Wealthy

Thor the Watchful; Lord of Guardians; Foe of The Revelation

Demeter The Giving; Lady of Earth; The Heart of Nature

Horus-Ra The Bright; Lord of the Sun; The Shining Star

Hecatete The Glowing; Lady of the Moon; The Dark Beauty

Tyr The Even-Handed; Lord of Order; The Blind Justice 

Prologue

Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Inioch Caliph el Nasser un Draconius. If you are reading this, I am long dead. The worlds separated, the Dark One banished to the realm of fate once again. If I am not mistaken, Yuthgol informed me that this book would be found sometime in the second millennium of you world. This story then, happened are 100,000 years ago in your time. How I miss them all so very much. I am the last one you see, and I write this book in my dieing years. I know that magic will be lost in time, and this will be dismissed as a simple tale for your pleasure. Believe what you will, I am not going to force my beliefs upon you. 

You will of course, need some information to understand this story. Every story you ever herd about Dragons, Elves, Gnomes, and Faeries are true! To a certain level at least. I doubt Gnomes would appear in the middle of the night to repair some old fool's shoes. Human are the dominate species upon the planet now I assume. Your would: Earth. 

Its not as old as you believe, only two thousand years or so. All of this "Theory of Evolution" Yuthgol informed me of is a load of horse dung. You were created by a force beyond that of even my god, Galicran The Mighty. Your race is originally from another dimension called Mal'Hal, were elves, dwarves, dragons, and all sorts of mortals lived together in peace and harmony. Harmony? That was a but of an overstatement upon my part. Although mostly true that there were little wars in the world, it was only because of my god, Galicran The All. As the most powerful god on the pantheon, he was sort on the unofficial ruler of the world at the time. 

You see, even the most evil of gods knew what love feels like, for they love their worshippers. The world was extremely religious, that it was rare to see a priest that didn't have some political power. I remember when a high priest of Nec'Tul The Reaper was the King in an Underdark (underground) city! The fact he destroyed the city and sacrificed all citizens to his god is besides the point. The reason it is NOT in harmony and in balance between good and evil is because on the very nature of the gods. Their awesome presence upon the world would tear it apart at its seams. At the end of this tale, The Great Force Beyond The Gods I mentioned before lifted all the humans out of Mal'Hal, and placed then in the new world. It called the world Earth. The elves and other creatures continued to live, and now are in a sort of parallel universe to your own. Accoreding to my resources, you stay within the same technological and scientific (whatever science may be…it was much too confusing for me to understand) era. With one exception. Humans never were very keen on magic. I believe sometime in what u know as the 1100's mages and their practices began to die out. A shame really…

Where to begin? You would expect the book I write as I die to be about my life. This is not the case, however. I played a larger role then some, yes. What…who you really should know about was indeed a fine man. Not perfect, but he was good, caring, and loving. An evil force known as Asmodes el Vic Narculis un Zebidia was once a kind and caring angel in the Inter-Planar Congress. He was handsome, and powerful. His ambition drove him into evil deed, and Raziel The Watcher (king as absolute sovereign of all the heavens) cast him down unto hell. Asmodeus grew in power quickly, and within a decade he took over the Hell's and launched an attack upon his hold home, slaying his family in the wake. He almost won the battle for control of everything, if it wasn't for an Angel called Ziathessi un Celvaka gul Quenya, who lead the battle in the name one Galicran the Magnificent, banishing him unto the Realm of Fate, where he was kept in bondage for nearly 500 hundred years.

This is a story of love, loss, evil, and death. But most of all, it is the story of one man's drive for revenge.

Chapter One

~The Abomination called Ryu~

__

Behold, The Mighty One said, It has begun

An elf sat in the top branches of The Great Oak playing his flute. The tune was soft and soothing, like the starry sky above him. His voice was gentle, but had a small trace of a great power hiding itself. Though he appeared very young, his green eyes looked ancient, as if they had seen horrors that no mortal could imagine. By human standards, he was quite old, but to elves, he was still a young adult. For one as young as he, or as he appeared to be, he held a great power in the arcane arts. Ryu, as some people called him, (for they did not know his TrueName) is not a character easily understood. The elf was about five and a half feet tall, wearing purple robes, with glossy black trimming, his long silver hair fell to his knees, his skin was slightly darker then that of other of his race. 

This particular elf had an usual personality. He was extremely short tempered, untrusting of strangers, and showed no mercy to his enemies. He wasn't evil, but had a nasty habit an obliterating entire city blocks when angered. To his friends, he was the kindest, most compassionate person they would ever meet. But his feelings never surpassed a friendship…well perhaps for one person. 

Poking his head out from the top of the tree, he looked around. Every other tree was at least fifty feet below him. A normal human would see nothing, but his elven eyes could see even in total darkness. This was no help. As for as his eye could see, there was endless forest. He continued to play. He played so long that the sun was almost fully risen over the horizon. In the world of _Malhal_, the night was 14 hours, twilight was 6 for dawn and dusk. Day only lasted four short hours, and the elf preferred it that way. 

No one dared to disturb Ryu, for they awed at his power and greatness. They didn't know his weakness, however. They didn't know of the internal battle between himself and the his true self. They didn't know of his memories of hate and murder. They were clueless of the disease he hosted, one that ate away at him emotions making him colder and crueler by the day.

The tune he played became dark and gloomy. It was a piece he had created himself, named "Vengeance". In the beginning of the song, everything was calm and soothing. Complex, but content. A mirror image of his childhood, which seeped away from him at age 26, age 2 and a half in human years. He was a mage, a minstrel, and a priest, in that order. His combined the arcane Magick of sorcerers (also called The Aura) and the divine Magic of the gods (known as The Gift), to create a power within the very notes of every song. Some soothed the soul with a calming rhythm. Others scared enemies away with a vicious balled of hate, which is what the song "Vengeance" now sounded like.

The elf put his flute away, and jumped from the branches. A cold chill ran down his spine, and the elf spun around and drew his magical sword, _Bane_. A magnificent blade was an understatement. Powerfully magical, the blade was made of adamantine, and coated with gold. Upon it were many symbols and words in the language of the Archons, or angels. The hilt was that of a fiendish looking dragon's head, with the blade protruding out of its mouth. The enchantments upon the sword made it more valuable then an entire castle. With a word, the sword could make itself burn acid, flash with flames, shock with thunder, or freeze them with a blast of artic power, damaging the enemy even more. The blade also allowed Ryu to absorb a small amount of magic, allowing him to use the magic against his enemy. The most deadly…and evil, of the magic within the steel, was it ability to suck the soul of whomever it has killed. Not allowing the person to pass on, but live in eternal torture.

Nothing was there. It was the mage's paranoia that caused the sudden reaction, and nothing more. Ryu walked, aimlessly, and without direction for a long time, fiddling with the different tunes upon his flute, and sending waves of different emotions down his spine that had nothing to do with his boredom. The stars winkled with beauty that the mage now left unappreciated, and the trees whispered to each other as the 'abomination' passes by them.

Ryu stopped suddenly. There was an opening in the brush. As he stared down it the opening became longer, and wider, an uneven trail appeared. He knew what such a sign meant. Ogmaha, a powerful spirit of the forest and a prophet of the god of elves, was summoning his presence. The abomination turned, and walked slowly down the path, purposely stepping upon any small creature he could find in hopes of annoying Ogmaha. A large clearing could been see up ahead, with many humanoid and fey creatures at its center. All of which were druids.

As Ryu appeared through the mist, many of the druids looked up at him in annoyance…or fear. Ryu's coming to the grove never ended in anything pleasant, as he tried so hard to avoid it at any cost. "The tree-lovers", as Ryu commonly called them, wore simple, light clothing. Most commonly made of bear or deer hide. There were few, however that wore long, ceremonial, and decretive robes. One of such leaders smiled sarcastically as Ryu approached, her elderly face bright with annoyance and her usually kind green eyes looked as if they were going swallow him whole. 

"Every time you come unto our grove, Ogmaha ends up screaming and yelling. I wonder why in all the nine hells why he continues to ask for your aid." The old woman said, with a croak to her voice.

"Can you cackle for me? I always thought you could do that when you were an ugly old hag." Ryu spat in aggitation, yet his voice still maintained a hint of some greater power, some higher wisdom.

"Manners, young abomination, manners. You must learn to watch whom you speak to in that tone of yours."

"Is Arwem here? She is much more interesting to talk to." Ryu said, changing the subject before he really got annoyed. "Much more pleasant to the eye as well." He added as a not-so-afterthought

As in an answer to his question, a radiantly beautiful elf stepped out of one of the prayer circles. She hair fell in golden locks to her shoulders, her eyes glowed radiantly green, and freckles covered her face. With a seductive wink at Ryu as she walked over, the Mage couldn't help notice the way her body curved. She had the look of a good-girl-gone-slut. She was shorter by Ryu then about a head and a half, and wore simple clothing, but nothing like the druids however. Her green silk shirt fitted her body comfortably, and simple hide pants covered her legs. Ryu knew she wasn't one of the tree-huggers. Something inside him told him that she had been summoned as well. 

"Hello Ryu." Arwen said, giving him a hug in a slightly more then friendly way.

"This is a sacred grove to Avlar The Forest Master. Take you fraternizing somewhere else!" The druid said, pursing her lips. Ryu had affection for Arwen only as a friend, and nothing more. That's all he would admit to at least. This didn't make him stop her from caressing of his backside as she embraced him nevertheless.

"Quiet Rose, just take me to Ogmaha so I can get this over with." Ryu said, but this time without the annoyance. The elderly woman (apparently named Rose), sighed and walked with her back turned towards an oak tree. With out stopping, she walked right into it, Ryu and Arwen followed.


	2. The Sleeper Awakes

Chapter 2  
  
The Sleeper Awakes  
  
With this fleeting action, Ryu, and Arwen appeared in what seemed to be a small hovel. About ten to twenty feet in diameter, this strange place was filled with bookcases. Volumes upon volumes of ancient and forgotten lore were spread across a wodden table. In its chair sat none other then Ogmaha himself. He was an ancient looking elf, withered by the tides of time phiscally, but the same force mentally sharpened his wits. Such a blissful, placid aura surrounded the prophet that it seemed no one could care about a thing in the world.   
  
Ogmaha stood about four and a half feet tall, average size for and elf. He had shoulder length white hair, pale wrinkled skin, and lumenous green eyes. It was his eyes that mad it so no one could mistake him for some weak old man. Such a fierce determination and wisdom was reflected that many were sure to think twice before truly angering the old sage.  
  
At there apperation, the oldman looked up from his paper and quill, and closed the book. Arwen read the title briefly, useing her acute elven and rougish vision to see the fading words: The Complete History of Hell.  
  
"It took you long enough to get here." Ogmaha said bluntly, getting up from his chair and walking around the table. "I have little time to play your childish games. You brief respite from the Acadamy is over, as i have somthing very important for you to do." It was these words that caused Ryu to cock and eyebrow, giving the sage a look of inquisistion. "There is also a duty i wish you, Arwen dear, to complet for me as well."  
  
"And what can i do to help you? Oh great and powerful prophet of Avlar!" Ryu taunted. He loved mothing more then to arouse the old man to a kicking and screaming rage. He had done so many times over the past nine-hundred years of his toutured lifetime, and thus he had become exceedingly profecient at it.  
  
"Ryu Lucius Evenstar! I demand you cooperation! This is a time of great urgencecy!" This was said to the Abomination with such a sincerity that the mage seemed compelled to slience himself. This he did, wondering what in the godsland could have happened to get the sage all in a fury before he even visited. "Now that i have your attention, i must speak upon the unthinkable." His voice became hushed, even though there was no one around for miles and miles. "I dont know how it happened, but somehow one of the members of the Magi of The Red rose seeped into Tattarus." Ryu's eyes grew wide, and it was now him that felt like flying into a fury. Arwen gasped, and clapped her hands to her mouth. "They succeeded in releaseing Him. Allow me to show you the vision The Elf-God gave me" Without waiting for approval, the prophet waved his old hand, and everything went black...  
  
**************  
  
The Vision of Ogmaha  
  
Somewhere in the deep depths of Tattarus, some one either every foolish or very brave was dareing to disturb the resting place of Asmodeus The Terrible. This man was dressed in black robes that radiated so much magic it litteraly brighted the room, adding to its bleakness. What could be seen of his hands were long obsiden colored fingers. Too pittiless red eyes glared out of the sunken sockets. The remaining lords of Hell were knelt down before a rift in the endless black everyone seemed to be standing on. Although this 'hole' glowed brightly, it was with a black light that sucked happiness and joy from all around it. So unholy was this flame that even the HellLords averted thier eyes from it. The great immolation flared everytime the standing cloaked figure had the audacity to look at, or step towards the prison. If one looked hard enough, you could vaugely seen the face of some tortured entity, screaming silently in its endless pain. With a sudden, curt movement, the hooded figure gestured for one of the lords of hell to step foward.  
  
"Cassius, come to me. Let your master taste blood. The sooner he has a sample of all of you, the sooner he may choose." A hissing, hatefully dark voice said from within the hood. One of the kneeling lords obayed. He was about seven feet tall, and wore black full plate armor. It was decorated with skulls, and had splashed of blood stains all over it. A greatsword was at his black, and it too, was covered with blood. Two perecing red eyes were barely visible from within his helmet. The inferno of black flames before them flared as if attempting to keep them away. Cassisus held out an armored hand, totally unafraid. He drew a dagger and stated in a deep, cold, commanding voice.  
  
"With my blood i offer refuge. With my blood i offer life. With my body i offer freedom." With that, he drove the small blade into and through the palm of his hand, without the mearest grunt of pain. After all, Cassius was the Demon of Pain, so how is it possible for him to feel that which he is the master of? The blood did not fall to the 'ground', but instead flowed silently towards the immolation. One could nearly sense the pleasue in the burning soul of Asmodeus, as his near hidden face lapped up the blood of his servant. The other lords followed.  
  
The second that offered 'refuge' was about he size of a human, perhaps six feet tall at the most. His skin was red as flames, and his eyes were black pits of dispair. Long, decorative robes covered his mucular body. Two great horns sprounted from his blad head. His name was Malvok.  
  
The third, Dante, was a human, althugh his democic facination had lead him to a horrid appearence. His eyes were so sunken in that one would think they tounched the brain, his head was completly bald, and his fingers looked like that where skeletal, in stead of skinned.  
  
The Forth, Adrian, looked somthing like a giant spider crossed with a hawk. A hwak that had been deprived of sulight for a very long time. His skin was a dark gray, his face elongated. His entire body stood around 10 feet tallm with eight long muscluar arms. His legs were birdlike, with talons instead of feet. His three-inch teeth were barred with sadistic glee when he slashed open not just one, but all of his hands in a machonistic fasion, and his wings spread as if streaching themselves in delight.  
  
The Fifth, and final was named Mephostopholes. By far the most poweful of them all, this demon was nearly eighteen feet tall, with great black wings that seemed to be mad of ash, and dark eyes and an evil radience that would wither flowers with a touch. A gigantic naganaki was his weapon of choice, so long that it nearly doubled his height. His feet ended in hoves, and his muscular body rippled with magical power. His entire body was writhed in what seemed to be crackleing embers that radieted from his ambitous heart.   
  
Finally all of the Hellords had given blood, as well as the dark leader. They backed about thiry feet away from the inferno, and waited. Then the flames bagan to spread...slowly...towards the six servants that were trying to free it. When the 'arms' of flame had nearly reached the faces of the Hellords, many of them winced in fear of being 'chosen'. Suddenly there was a scream of pain of torture. Dante had been chosen. The flame that hovered so close to his face lunged at him, searing his feace and eyes. The covered his entire body as he was ripped into the rift with a shout of desperate pain. He began to ooze blood from his pours, the more to feed Asmodeus when he reached the central flame. His eyes, mouth, ears, and nose bled freely.   
  
He had reached the end of his hateful life when he was taken to the middle of the prison. He was slashed, cut, and ripped into millions of tiny pieces, and devoured. His screams could be hear in every torture chamber around the worlds. The flames stopped...the embers subsided...and the sadistic, cruel, heartless, and bloody lips of Asmodeus The Terrible fixed themselves into a grin. He was free at last!  
  
Ryu kicked the nearest bookself, sending it topeling over, yet Ogmaha seemed not to care.   
  
"Damn it all!" the mage said in his anger. In a second he reflected upon the war that took place in his childhood. It was a good three hundred years before Arwen's time yes, but her rembered it quict vividly. The world of Mal'Hal is still quite young, only two thousand or so year old. Ryu was only the second generation of his race. It was during his childhood years that the prophecy in The Holy Book of Galicran was fulfilled. It stated that an angel shall fall from heaven, mudering his wife. Put briefly he would..and did join the ranks of hell and murdered the ruling god there: Satan the Evil. There was many things most people questioned about Ryu's life, one of wich is the fact that his mother and father were both well known Seraphim before thier death...and yet he appeared to be an elf. Ryu never answered the accusastions. The war that followed the Fallen One's gain in power was one of great pain and death. He rembered that the forces of evil penetreated up the the highest point of Heaven: Celista.It was this attack that caused none other then Raziel The Watcher himself, God of Good, to enter the battle field. With his sword of radient good he and the other lords of Heaven single handedly slaughtered millions of oncomming Demons. Ryu saw this single-handedly, and Raziel gave off such and aweing radience that Ryu, no matter how much he disagreed with his teachings, never spoke and ill word aginst the church. Finally the Fallen One, who called himself Asmodeus, entered the battlefield. And in a battle that shook the world, Raziel imprisoned Asmodes in the prison world of Tattarus. (Authors note: which one so u think is the better way to say it? Az-moe-day-us or Azmoe-dea-us. 2nd one is sepperated less times. If u ever take time review,let me know.)  
  
"Who let him free? Do you know the exact person?" Arwen asked with fear in her voice. Somthing that did not happen often.  
  
"No...i do not. I do know, however, that the five remaining lord of hell attened the ritual."  
  
"Give me names you sorry bastard." Ryu spat, giving the old man a look of malilce, and getting one equally spiteful in return.   
  
"Cassius, Adrian, Dante, Malvok, and Mephostopholes (pronounced Meh-fo-stof-o-lezz)." The old man shot. "Happy? Now to get to what i need you both to do. Ryu, alert the Magi Council of my vision from Avlar, tell then that he is free. Arwen, contact the underground and get all the imformation you can about hell's politics recently. Be weary of any demoic members. I wish i could give you more information, but Avlar Elf-God only wishes me to know what he has showed me. If i can be of any aide, please have the council let me know." This time there was no anger in the man voice. He seemed to calm and un-waery, as thoght he knew more that what he was telling. This wouldent be the first time he deprived Ryu of information until 'he was ready'.  
  
"I will do so, Ogmaha, but know that this will not be an easy task, having Raziel re-defeat Asmodeus again." Ryu said with no malevolence in his voice, as if it were a simple statment, to Ogmaha it was more then this.  
  
"Raziel wont be able to do anything this time." He said in a criptic warning, looking at Ryu intently. "I will let you leave now." he concluded, waving his hand and telporting the two elves out of the hut back to the base of the Great Oak Ryu had been playing his flute from.   
  
Ryu took a meaningful look at Arwen, and jumped into the branches of the giant tree. She followed him, up the 3 hundred foot tree. The mage sighed, and brached himself aginst the trunk, stitting upon the branch, which was wide enough for five or so to sit next to each other shoulder to shoulder alone, and twenty or more long. Arwen slumped down next to the man, and put her head on his shoulders. They sat there for a long time like that, peering into the forest through the brances. Arwen looked up into Ryu's eyes, and saw fear in his green depths. It was at that moment the inresistable urge to kiss the mage came over her, wanting to comfort him. Arwen too was known to be rude and sarcastic to others, but she alwasy had a strong attachment to the mage. She had know him the better part of a thousand years...after four hundred you begin to lose count. She felt safe around him, as if she knew that he would never allow anything to happen to her. He alwasy was quick to come to her when she was upset. She refused to admit she was 'in love'. Love ment a detication. It was more a 'stong infacuation'. The assassin resisted the urge, but her heart melted when Ryu looked down at her. His eyes looked into her own, almost in tears. Arwen and never seen Ryu this close to weeping, and indeed had never seen the event happen. Ryu told her that he learned never to cry when he was young. As she saw the mage fight the battle inside, she truely began to know fear. It wasnt a common thing for her, and she dident like it. A sick old feeling in her stomach. She never felt in on her hundreds of assassination missions.   
  
"Everything will be okay, I promise." Ryu said in a weary voice, trying to comfort the beautiful woman before her. It was nearly blasfamous to his creed, but Ryu too had felt the urge to kiss his companion, the moment he look into her eyes.Those beautiful hazel eyes. He, like Arwen, resisted. Neither would admit to it, and both would forget it in the morning. For the had both fallen asleep in the tree... 


	3. Makeing a deal with Death

(i told you all i was changeing Arwen's name, so i did. Its Lebel now. French for 'The Beautiful One'. Go Freedom Fries!)  
  
Chapter Three   
  
Making A Deal With Death  
  
The gods had many duties they were obliged to do: Answer the prays of worshipers, defend churches, grant spells to priests, send visons of warning, foil the plans of rival gods...and occasionaly defeat them in battle. All this damanded constant attention from thier gods, as many of them had thousands upon thousands of temples and millions of woreshipers. Thus no god needed to eat, sleep, or even breathe. They could consentrate thier mind on thousands of tasks at once, and even litteraly be in two places at once. Yet at the same time no god was really anywhere at all. Instead of accually being in a place, they mearly focused thier mind upon it, and projected themselves in the form of thier choseing.  
  
This is what Nec'Tul the Reaper did, the Deity of Dead, Paragon of the Afterlife, and Stealer of Souls. He appeared before the doors of Castle Nevernight in all his unholy glory. His robes were the blackest of night, tattered and worn from eons of journey. In his skeleton hand he held a scythe made from adamantine, encrusted with black opals. The blade itself was crafted from the most precious diamonds, sharped and blackened for the death god's pleasure. His skull was so ghostly white that it made snow look gray, and on its forhead was cut an upside down star in a circle: Marking his as one of the gods of evil. Every few seconds a moan of pain left the mouth of the god, as he lived on after death. The souls of all his victims were reflected in the black pits where his eyes should have been. On his side was tied the Book of Death; the imfamous tome that recored the death of every mortal in history, and every one in the future. On his other side was an hourglass made of obsedian, with the ground up bones of saints instead of sand inside the glass.  
  
Before the Death god even spoke a word from his mouth, the adamantine doors unto the Castle Nevernight opened. The Reaper was relived to get out of the twilight that was always present on this particular plane of existance. Nec'Tul prefered the night, and the darkness. Even as he walked, hundreds of his manifestations were metting with dieing mortals, takeing them to his home on the plane of Nifelheim. He took particular pleasure as one of his other selves was dragging and old woman's soul into scythe. Not a fraction of his long dead heart was stalled as she screamed to see her grandchildren one last time. Even if he did hesitate, there was nothing he could do. It was her time. Nec'Tul was the god of death, not death itself. It was his job to withhold Death itself in a remote prison in the planes. He laughed as he remembered his duties. Unlike that fool Raziel, the deity thought, I wont allow someone to escape from thier planar bindings.   
  
This unpleast mind wandering lead the god back to the reason he was at the famous Castle Nevernight. The realseing of Asmodeus The Terrible. The gods had a form of government, of course. Nothing would be able to function without it, and gods would be able to openly wage war aginst each other without it. There were five major gods that were the sopposed rulers of the other gods. There was Raziel the Radient, King of all good, and master of Heaven. Shiva the Destroyer, Goddess of Chaos, and sovrigen of the plane called Pandemonium. Tyr was the the God of Law, the Blind Justice, and paragon of the world called Vallhalla. Galicran the Mighty was lord of magick, and made his home on the Elemental Plane of Magick. The last of the ruling gods was known as Satan. He was murdered by Asmodeus, and thus his murderer had the right to take his place in the Gods Council. He was never offically voted in, but by killing Satan he gained his powers and is technichally the Death Gods' master. This was somthing Nec'Tul would not allow. Asmodeus was insane, even by The Reaper's standards. And so he ventured into the very home of his surperior: Galicran The Magnificant. The Castle was contructed entirely from precious metals. The walls were silver, with diamonds the size of a giants fist ever thity feet or so. Along the celing was an aweing mural, depecing ancient battles. Mainly powerful mages casting spells of epic power. After a short walk, The Reaper encountered another being, undobutedly a servent of Galicarn. It was a giant, roughly ten feet tall, with golden skin and fire-red hair. This must be Thorok, the imfamous Sungiant mage from the Helios clan.  
  
"I hope everything goes well for you, Master Nec'Tul'." The giant said, folding and hands and bowing curtesously.   
  
"If things went well for me I wouldent be here right now, shade. Show me to your master, i have business of the utmost importance with him." The Death God spat with a horrifying melevolence in his undead voice. Soft and manipulating, like a vampires, yet oddly as stong and forceful as a dragons.  
  
"My applogies, Lord Death." Thorok said, althogh doing a horrible job at masking his anger at being referred to as a common shade.  
  
The giant followed his orders, however, and lead Lord Death down the silver hall towards a pair of great golden doors, encruseted with emeralds and rubys. Thorok dident even knock upon the door unto the throne room before it slowly opened with a cryptic creek of its hinges. This marvelous room was nothing short of perfect. Every silver square that made up the floor was etched with glowing magickal symbols. There were painings conving the walls, but instead of frames, they were draw with perfection upon the wall itself. Many were Galicran, dragons, and mages of note. One of the more impressive works of art was of none other then Ryu Lucius Evenstar. His eyess blazed with an enternal fire, as if it were alive. Nec'Tul' looked briefly into his eyes, and they averted his attention to the being of power that sat upon the throne.  
  
Galicran the Mighty, The All, The Savior, The Lord of Magick, and Father of the Sisters, sat upon his utterly holy throne brooding. Even Nec'Tul', a great and mighty god compared to others of his kind, could not help up bow before he adressed his former King. His arms and legs were armored with the finest of metals, upon them glowing magickal runes of thier own. The ledgenary sword called Galahad was at his side, crafted from gold spewed from the very core of the planes. Long, flowing robes of magnifcent purple silk covered the rest of his towering body. A hood hid his face from the eyes of others. It was said that if you looked onto the face of Galicran, you could see your worst fears manifest beofre your eyes, as well as you greatest...and a newfound stregnth. His dark face showed no details, for the shadows were so great the it looked as if there was nothing there at all. The only evidence of his presence inside all of those robes and armor, was the two piercing yellow eyes that glowed with a divine power unhead of by any. Upon the floor before him, streaching at least twenty feet across, was a single eye surrounded by the divine symbols for Evil, Good, Law, and Chaos. This was the holy symbol of galicran. It was such an honor to wear the symbol upon one's clothing that it was punishable by death in many cities to wear it unless you were the highest and most powerful of his priests. The mear presence of either of these gods around mortals would send humanoids and others running for cover. What happened what an unstoppable object met an unmovable force? Nothing, they sat at a standstill for a long time, seeing who would avert they eyes first. Nec'Tul the Reaper stopped upon the pupil of The Eye, and spoke, with the two luminos eyes of Galicran The Magnifcent upon him.   
  
"It has been to long, Mighty Galicran. But I believe we will have time to 'catch up' later. I have a question for you. Isnt it one of you daughters' duties...Ragnaok i believe...to make sure that Asmodeus does not escape?" The Soul Stealer said, with such an audacity in his voice that it was a miracle The All did not blast him into oblivion. There was a long silence, the loudest one you would ever hear.  
  
"My daughers', not mine." The Savior said at long last, his mighty voice echoing across the hall like a deep rumble of a sleeing dragon. "I will deal with her later. Right now, we must deal with the reason I summoned you here."  
  
Nec'Tul laughed inside his own head. Ha!, He thought, you have no power over me you fool. You did not summon me. I decided to accept an invitation.   
  
It was now that the eyes of Galicran turned from yellow to red. Almost as if He knew what The Reaper was thinking.   
  
"The sisters will be dealt with when the time comes, Lord Death. I have not the time for thier blunder now. We cannot allow Asmodeus the gain power. If he does there will inevitably be another war, and if he wins...I would prefer that bastard not to be in my court." The Mighty said in his thundering voice. Technically it wasnt Galicran's court anymore, but his power was so far beyond even all the gods togeather that few would question his judgement. One of those few was Nec'Tul.  
  
"Now see here, Spellweave. This is going to become a war, it is all a matter of how we decide to fight it."  
  
"This i know, Soulless One. I will have the Magi of The Black Rose call a meeting between the International Council Of City-states. I dobut the Magi of the Blue,White,Red, or Yellow Rose will turn down the call. I only ask one thing of you, Deathless..." Galicran continued, his voice low and secrtive. "Ryu will fall under attack by a group of assassin vampires. The leader will be by the name of Agazz." With this, The Reaper knew what Galicran wanted, his let go of his scythe, allowing it to float threatingly in the air. He untied the book from his side, opened it, and began flipping through the pages.  
  
"Yes, Spellweave, what you feared will come to pass." Nec'Tul said, as he stopped upon a page and read it silently. "Ryu is schedualed to die tonight."  
  
Without the smallest bit of hesitition, Galicran the Mighty continued. He knew death was not a certain thing, there are many occasions written in that book where Ryu was sopposed to die...and many that say he his going to die in the future. The book only gave situations possible for death to come for the mortal, not the accual date.   
  
"That worries me not, Ryu is strong. He can defeat Agazz. What i really need from you is you cooperation. You army of woreshipers is great, i need you to send you assassins...all of them. Especially the Magiassins in the Magi of the Black Rose. I want you to kill every powerful mage, priest, and cultist of Asmodeus. I will deny his sorcerers the ability to use The Aura. If you do this, i give you my word that you shall be rewarded. The vacancy in the title God of Evil has satyed empty too long." The Mighty said, and Nec'Tul' paused to think. The only problems with this deal was that many of the cultist were users of Necromantic magick. An area of arcana Nec'Tul goverened (at the consent on Galicran). If he sent out his assassins...he would be killing of his own faithful. It was either that, or Asmodeus returned to power. Then again...when he became the fully fledged Deity of Evil, the benifets would be everlasting.   
  
"Very well, Spellweave. I will do so." Deathless turned at this last word, and left the room. With a thought he sent a vision to every one of his faithful assassins. Within seconds they would be communicating with each other. Within minutes they would be marking thier targets. Within hours thier targets would be dieing. Within a day, Asmodeus would make his presence...and fury...known to all.  
  
Lebel awoke the next morning to see the vivid green eyes of Ryu over here, shakeing her body gently.  
  
"Time to get up, Lebel, we have quite a journey upon our hands." The mage said in a compassionate voice her rarely used. Although it was morning, the six hours of day had not yet begun, for they took place in the middle of the day. Lebel yawned and streached her arms. She smiled mischevoicusly as Ryu.  
  
"I cant wait to get back to Me'Hein'! Fresh bait! Ive been low on gold, figured i would nick a coulple dozen or so." She said. Ryu laughed. It was an odd thing to hear, far more deep then expected of an elf. It sounded...demonic. "I need to ask you somthing Ryu." Arwen continued, this time very serious. "Now that Asmodeus has returned, i was hopeing you could tell me a little about what it was like when he was...shall we say 'in power'?" This time Ryu scolwed.  
  
"We have a long trip to Me'Hein. A good three weeks. Sounds like fun, eh?" This answer wasnt aggitated, but it had a finality to it that told Arwen that the interview was over before if even bagan.  
  
The abomination jumped from the braches, landing catlike on the grassy floor, soon followed by Arwen. Ryu whistled, and out of the shadows came a black stallion. Its mane rippled with black flame-like hair, constantly danceing in an unknow fury. Its nostrils flared with fire, and everytime the creature breathed it gave off a sulfur like smell that washed over the couple like a foul breeze from hell itself. Arwen walked over and patted the stallion's head.  
  
"Hello, Blackstaff." She said, sweetly and unafriad. As if in answer the horse made an odd noise that seemed to exit from the bottem of its stomach. It was speaking Abyssal, the language of demons.  
  
(We need a ride to Me'Hien', Blackstaff. Are you up to it?) Ryu said in a course voice much unlike his own, speaking to the horse in its native tounge. The creature gave a nod of its great head, and a roar. More like a dragons then a horse. Lebel dident understand what the stallion had said, but Ryu evidently did. It must have been a 'yes', bacause the mage got onto the horse with graceful movements like that of a hawk. He helped Lebel on the horse, and she sat upon his lap, so Ryu had to reach around her to hold the reines. They set off unto the night, the hoves of Blackstaff falling to the ground with a gentle 'clank'. The forest wizzed by the two, and the sounds of the birds and other animals were lost in the wind flowing throgh the mages hair, flying behind him like some silvery curtian of silk. Now they were moving so fast that even the most skilled creatures would be awed. The trees were moveing by them so fast that you barly had the time to see them. Only a black wall of nothingness was decerable. After about an hour of this amazingly smooth flight, Blackstaff slowed down to a trot, and Lebel stured to look Ryu in the eyes. They were still in the forest, but the trees were much shorter, less wide, and not as close togeather.  
  
"Might i ask why we are stopping?" She said innocently.  
  
"Dawn will be here soon, Blackstaff cannot see in sunlight. We will sleep." Ryu answered, in a nonchalant fasion. "There is a cave near here, that is where we shall rest." So the trot off te path, towards small clearing by the side of a hill. The hill opened enough for an average humanoid to fit inside. Ryu led Blackstaff into the cave, whos firey mane lit the entuire place. About thiry feet in diamater. Ryu once it seemed, Ryu slumpped down aginst the floor and closed his eyes. Arwen followed suit, putting her head upon his chest. It was indeed an odd sight. Two elves on a cave floor, with a demonic stallion by thier side, waiting for the sun to rise...and then to set once again. Three hours went by, Lebel had fallen asleep and awoken about thirty times, and Ryu dident sleep at all. Finally, as if the conversation had been goin all this time, Ryu spoke.  
  
"I was a small child living in Heaven at the time of Asmodeus' rise. My mother was the Archamge of the Magi of the White Rose. My father was a councilmen in the Celestial Court. Both good people, kind parents. My brother, Nemisis, and I got along well for brothers. We rearely fought. I was about the age an 6 year old human whenit all went wrong. The armies of Hell came through, buring...everything...  
  
Within the Memories of Ryu  
  
The blissful realm of Heaven sat in all its glorified nature upon the Platinum Sea, its waves lapped unto the shores of the city peacefully. Every home was made of marble, and the residents laughed and smiled at every turn of the head. The roads crisscrossed in perfectly simetrical patterns. All was well in the city of Yahweh. No one was expecting the alarms to go off suddenely at about twilight. Never before had the city become under attack, so many were unsure of what was going on. Not a soul was mistaken, however, when the ground ripped itself open, enveloping the bulidings at its whim, and demons of all kinds poured into the Holy City. The rift streched for a mile or so, spewing lava and fire from its depths. All manner of horrid creatures began tearing the city appart. Those unfortunate enough to be near the rift were either pulled into the fire, or eaten by the first wave of monsters. Mephostopholes stepped over the brink, spreading his ash-wings in delight. He let out a roar of unholy power, shattering walls like glass. Heaven's Army responded with lightning speed, literally. Blots of electric power burst from the most unlikey of places, bouncing off thier foes and forming into angelic soilders.Thier glistening armor and flaming swords, alothough magnificent, were little match for these most powerful of demons. Only Raziel's personal guard could handle such powers. The battle for the 'right to rule' had begun.  
  
Mephostophes particually took pleasure has he slashed through entire regiments with his Naginaki blade, he breathed fire unto buildings that were larger then him, and simply crushed those that wernt. He laughed melevolently as the melted marble fell onto a group of soilders. Thier screams enticed his ramapage. The Duke of Evil took time to magically levitate one soilder in and out of the lava, wondering how long it would take before the armor would meld to his skin. And so he walked slowly towards the center of the city, where the Supream Palace stood. Slowly the other lords of Hell made thier way into the battle field, like great thunderstorms slowly rising upon dark winds. In the center of the storm, stood its very core power: Asmodeus the Terrible. Unlike now, the Lord of Evil was not frail and weak; instead he was well muscled and darkly handsome. The bottem half of wizards robes covered his red-skinned legs, and a silk, black-colored, open vest was on his back. It revealed a tattoo on his blood red chest. A pentagram in flames. Two horns extruded from his head curling on themselves and juting to the right and left; two islands of brown in a mat of greasy black hair.  
  
The battle continued, the demons were winning easily. Only Mehostopholes was fighting out of the Lords of Hell. The others trotted exaltently down the corpse covered roads, perhaps with the exception of Asmodeus' occasional blast of arcane magick. The remaining citizens scattered into the arms of the lesser demons as the Duke's passed, fearing a painful death at thier hands rather then the grusome one that awaited them in the claws of a Pit Fiend. This was the only true power. The only constant force that kept the masses at bay, and truly allowed the greater ruling class sway: fear. Asmodeus in particlar took delight as the lowly creatues ran from his unholy gaze. So horrid were the eyes of this dark king that even Cassius The Painbringer averted his own. Asmodeus could gain submisson from any living creature with but an utter of a word. His power was truly aweing. Then of course...he was once an angel.   
  
Only this fact brought shame to the Dark One's spirit. He had once been an angel, a senetor in the Celestial Council. A "good man". He had two wonderful sons, a beautiful and powerful sorcereress as a wife. He was rich, and poweful in his own right. But greed had beckoned him. He could remeber the day he proposed a clensing of Mal'Hal, and offered to lead the crusade into the material world a little two eagerly. Raziel himself raised an eyebrow at his delight in the 'clensing' of mortals. The God of Good decided not to speak about it, until he heard The Dark One speak of it as a final solution to end all evil in the world. The words Raziel spoke to Asmodeus' still burnt a hole in his stomach.  
  
"Perhaps you should be clensed, dearest Lucius. Your eagerness the slaughter mortals troubles not only me." The assinine fool! Such an anger arose inside the Dark One that he began to shout at The Holy. At this instant he was removed from Heaven, and thrown into the pits of Hell. He remaned homself Lucifer, which in the Abyssal language was pronounced "Asmodeus". It was in Hell that he was taken in by Satan, who was at the time God of Evil. Asmodeus' gained Satan's trust, and when the time was right crafted and succeded in an elaborate coo. Asmodeus quickly drained Satan of all his divine power, thus stopping one of the other non-deity lords of Hell from takeing his place. They fell swiftly to his wrath, and bowed before him. Now Lucifer had come to finish what he had started.  
  
Asmodeus finally stopped his march admist the chaos in front of his old home. It was grand in size, and magnificent in stature. Marble sculptures and colums littered the outside walls, a gate surrounded the property. With a curt gesture, Asmodeus flung the gates open. At the same instant the door to the estate dove off its hinges. Standing the the openeding was a a beautiful woman, he white robes glistened with heavenly power, and her vivid green eyes (much like Ryu's) gazed in absolute hate at the man standing before her. She called in a sing song voice that sounded more like a dirge.  
  
"There was once somthing there Lucifer. You used to have a soul. You gave it all away becuase you were greedy. Because you wanted power." From across the year Asmodeus grinned.  
  
"There was once somthing there, Dearest Helen. I am not the man you knew on the Magi of The High. Not the man you knew on the Celistal Council. Im not a man at all anymore." he said comely. The two nemisi stood glare at one another for a long period. The other lords of hell watched. The woman pushed back a small child, who was yelling curses at The King of Evil. Then, with lightning speed and agility, the woman raised her arms and cried an incantation.   
  
"Silia electra incarna!" She spat, and with that simple command the power of the heavens was at her fingertips. She brought her arm swinging down, stopping when she pointed at the the sark figure she hated so. With a crack like an earthquake a blot of lightning sprung from from her fingers. An blinding flash followed, causeing even the spells caster to close her eyes reflexively. Asmodeus conjured a barrier to stop the blot, but had to fight to keep it at bay. It thrusted itself at the red wall of magickal protection like a living force. Breathing heavy, the Dark Lord deflected the blast of lightnigning into the face of one of his fellows. He shreaked in pain, and the others laughed. It was all a game to them. The entire world was a playing field for them to manipulate and destory but thier whims.   
  
Lucifer counter attacked with godly speed. He flung his hand about in unholy patterns, calling upon his inheritted demoic powers reather then arcance magick. These needed no incantations. With a boneshattering scream that was uttered from no mouth the colums and fence of the house shattered. The ground quaked and cracked. A black light so wholely evil it chilled even Asmodeus' soul erupted from his index finger. I shot towards the woman with such speed she had no time to invoke any kind of protection. The beam hit her with a bone crushing force, and even at a distance you hear her ribs, arms, legs, and neck break. She flew back through the door way. This time the scream was high pitched...young. A young child with silver hair and green eyes ran in a complete rage towards Asmodeus. He was screaming insults and blasphamimes. The dark lord laughed as the boy ran towards him, but was unprepared for twhen came next. The boy, still running, was movine his hands in magical patterns...poweful ones. It was too late before he remebered that the child had imborn abilites in magickal studies. He was a sorcerer, a true practicer of magick.  
  
A ball of purple flames exploded in front of Lucifer, barely phaseing him, but still burning.   
  
"The boy was destined to became very powerful indeed" Asmodeus thought as he accually needed to concentrate to dodge the barrage of spells that was being thrown at him. "It is a shame that he did not join my vendetta like his brother did. What was his name...ahh...yes...i remember now."   
  
The angelic child leaped in an unknown rage at the Dark One, a small dagger drawn taken from his mothers dead body. Asmodeus caught the child by the neck and murmured the boys name.  
  
"Ryu" His lips curled into an evil grin. "What a plesent suprise. My, my you have grown. I noticed you were spying on my with your mother's crystal ball. You know you not sopposed to do that."  
  
"YOU...KILLED...MOM...YOU...FUCKER!" Ryu gasped in hate. "YOU...BASTARD...ILL KILL...YOU....ONE DAY...I SWEAR..."  
  
Lucifer did not take lightly to being called a bastard, let along a fucker. He threw the boy back ten...twenty...thrity feet. WIth a quick gesture blots of lightning erupted from the Dark Ones' eyes, hitting the boy with tremendous force. For a short while, Asmodeus took pleasure in how the boy writhed and squirmed in pain. How his hands were beating aginst the stone ground, bleeding. How he called for his mother to help him, praying to Galicran that she would get up and fight once again. This did not happen, however. It was only until Asmodeus levitated the body closer to Ryu that he truly understood. His mother was dead, and she was not goining to come back. Worse yet, was what the man that killed her was. The lighting ceased, and Ryu stopped screaming, he temebled, and wept at his mother feet.  
  
Like an unknown terror, he walked sliently over to the small child, and picked him up by the collar. Ryu did not fight, simply staired at the eyes of his mother, tears rolling down his cheeks. Silently to himeself, the small child was thinking murderous throughts, and swearing upo his soul that he would slay The Bastard  
  
Without the mearest trace of uncomfort, Asmodeus gently let the child fall onto the saddle of the steed in nearly a fatgherly fasion. Although the battle raged endless around them, and so many powerful being surrounded him, Ryu was truly unafraid. Asmodeus bent close to the boy's ear abd whipered.  
  
"It was for the best, child. You mother was weak, she did not know how to raise a child to his full potential. When i die, you will become the King of Hell! Wouldent you like that? You are very powerful, very powerful indeed."  
  
They rode out of the city, past the open gates, and out into the fields ; Towards the Platimum Sea. Its waters, made of liquid platium, raideated no heat, and streached endlessly across the plane.  
  
"We are going to go home soon, Ryu." Lucifer continued. Ryu spat in his face. "Why you little..." The Dark Ones Configure changed instantly from fatherly to loathing. Ryu was thrown off the horse onto the ground. Before he could utter a single comment, he was silenced, for the boy heard a sound that renewed his hope. Trumpets...angelic trumpets. The war cry of Raziel The Holy. The King and undespuited ruler of Heaven. A rift in the sky, identical to the one below, opened in the clouds. Thousands upon thousands of Cheriubim & Serphium warriors weilding flameing greatswords came pleting to the ground like beams of holy light. One particually bright beam of white light came towards them. It was none other then The Holy One himself.   
  
Raziel the Crusader: the God of Good, in all his glory and maginifcece let out a terrorfing shriek of rage as he pelted towards them. Ryu dived for cover and Raziel slashed his katana at Asmodeus, curseing him. For a brief moment, as Asmodeus dodged a srtike, Ryu looked into his savoirs eyes.  
  
Raziel had shiny silver skin, and fierce blue eyes. He wore light, almost gossamer white robes with magical symbols of divine power all over them. His hair was the most noticeable trait. It fell in glassblade-like clums, about thiry in all. They were colored by that of metallic items: Bronze, gold, platinum, and silver, and came to his shoulders.  
  
The Holy One brought his blade slahsing down upon the Dark Lord, who was sprawled on the ground. Asmodeus instantly conjured up his own weapon of choice: a heavy mace addorned with rubies and pentagrams. He blocked the blow and forced Raziel back into the ranks of his Lords. This was childsplay. The Holy dropped each of the lesser lord with impunity. Only Mephostopleses took more then a few seconds. His giant form over powered Raziel, and cut his across the chest with his gigantict blade, pelting him to the ground with earth shattering force. During this time, Asmodeus was prepareing himself. Countless protection and warding spells fell upon the Darok one like raindrops as his arms moved in frantic patterns.   
  
Mephostopheles let out a roar of anger as Raziel shoved his katana into his heart. All the other lords of Evil fled in a rushing of wind and flash of fire. Raziel stood triumphantly at facing Asmodeus's now glowing body.  
  
"I havent the time for this, Lucius. I cast you down from this Heaven and forbade thee from returing. I command you to leave at once, or suffer my wrath!" The Holy said in a deep booming voice. Asmodeus spat.  
  
"I refuse to let myself be commanded by a whelp like you!" The dark one said, launching himself at him ememy. His mace made contact with Raziel, ripping open a new wound in his arm. The lord of Heaven responed with a slash from his sword to Asmodeus' back, and a quick fleeting incantation.  
  
"Nephtuhus hala dum!" He said, pointing his blade towards the Dark ones face as he turned. A searing blast of light srupted from its point, strinking his enemy in the face and causeing a disgusting sizzle of sound. Lucifer wailed in pain and agony as the holy light at at his skin. Then he felt the slashed from Raziel's blade. Twenty...thiry...forty strikes to his arms, legs, chest, and face. He was blasted back with another helping of holy light, and slided over a hundred feet before he stopped moving. He moaned in pain...a jest. Raziel in the distance spread his wings and glided with ease towards his nemisis. Just before he landed, Asmodeus jumped up and smacked him across the face with his unhallowed mace. He cringed, but shook off the otherwise devistating blow. Raziel was not ready for the other seven. One upon each of his limbs, another to his face, and two to his chest.  
  
It was now that Ryu thoguht of a useful spell. His father had taught it to him before it happened. The spell conjured a pentacle (symbol of good) around a thinry foot radius, empowering to good, and harming the evil. This he did, saying "Vive, Vie, Vama"  
  
A golden shadow of power exploded from where he sat, strikeing Raziel and Amodeus by suprise. The holy light shocked Lucifer with an electric jolt, and caused Raziel to glow with a new power. While Asmodeus was stunned, Raziel too his chance, and drove his blade into his heart. The pentacle was already there...so a prophecy took effect.  
  
Yuthgol, god of fate, told Raziel a long time ago that if he were to do battle with Lord Evil inside a pentacle, Good would triumph. As if waiting (and Raziel was sure they were) chains of adamantine stregnth appeared out of nowhere, and anchored themselves to the air. They wrapped around Lucifer, and with one cold glance at Ryu, he disappeared, doomed for six hundred years of pain and fire in Tattarus. Knowing thier leader was fallen, and Raziel would soon return to the battlefield, the remaining demons in the city ran.  
  
Bleeding and wounded, The Holy walked slowely over to Ryu, and thanked him without a word spoken, simply putting his hand unpon the small boys shoulders. He looked into Ryu's eyes, and saw not good nature as was known for angels, but a gleeming horrid hate. It was not obveous to anyone at all, for Ryu was currently more joyous then he had been in years. But behind the kindness, the happiness, and the power, the Holy saw hate. Raziel has known Ryu's parents well...but they were now dead. He considered takeing Ryu in as his own...but that hate scared Raziel beyond anything Asmodeus has done. Ryu wasnt an angel, he wasent fit to be one. Ryu was a monster, an abomination.  
  
"It was shortly after this Raziel took me to Me'Hein, and left me there to be taken care of. This was when i met your family. You mother was still pregnant with you, and you father had just died. I lived on the streets mostly, practicing my powers. I spent most of my time in the temple of Galicarn, when Inioch was still just a common preacher. Those were the days..." Ryu concluded, as he prepared for the inevitable question to come.  
  
"You are an Angel?" Lebel said, sitting up and stairing into his eyes. She loved those eyes so dearly...  
  
"I was." Ryu answered carfully, as if weighing every single word. "I was...but as i said. Raziel saw hate in me, dident he? I wouldent make much of an angel would I?"  
  
"But your parents were both good people! How can."  
  
"You dident know my parents so dont tell me what they were before they died!" Ryu spat back at her angerly, makeing Lebel recoil. There was litterally a fire in his eyes. She appolged, but being a skilled assassin, she knew there was somthing Ryu still wasnt telling her. Both of them were standing now. Ryu conjured two bedrollsfrom thin air on the damp cave floor. He turned back to Lebel, who was unexpectedly right in his face. So close he could count every freckle upon her face. She smiled, and embraced him. Ryu did not do the same, however. He simply looked down at her. Ryu and Lebel had been togeather once...but that was a long time ago. The abomination knew love was for the weak. Lebel leaned in closer, looking into his eyes. Ryu could hear her heartbeating quickly, and he inhaled a deep breath. He lips were so close to his...  
  
"No." Ryu said, pushing her away, and climbing into his bedroll, not even taking off his weapons. The assassin was insulted, but decided that pouting wouldent get her anywere. Ryu too, felt he had insulted her. He knew, however, what love could do to someone. What love did to his mother...he dident want that to happen to Lebel. Love...it was for the weak. Only for the weak. True, he thought. Ryu had not told Lebel about how his mother was betrayed by a senete member and exposed for...what she was inside. Part mortal, part...human. This imperfection ment she was capable of ill deeds. Then, as Lebel lay down with her back to him, Ryu thought..as he looked up and down her body, be must be weak. He just could never, ever show it. But by the gods, it was sincerly hard to deny that she was beautiful. The way she walked and talked, the shape of her eyes, the way her hair fell to her shoulders. Really was quite...lovely. 


	4. Agazz The Bloodfiend

Chapter 4  
  
Agaaz the Bloodfiend  
  
You wont like me when Im angry  
  
Ryu and Lebel rode for about three days, with no events of importance, and barely speaking to one another. Lebel was not foolish enough to continue asking questions about what Ryu had told her, but the temptation irked her. The mage had become conservative. He closed himself in, and spoke very little. He left camp at nightfall, retiring an hour of so later with food.  
  
The couple sat by the fire, upon opposite sides, watching the flames dance with radiance. It was peaceful around them, and completely silent. Every so often Ryu turned to look behind him for about ten seconds. He was ever watchful. Many would think this a trait Lebel would own, being an assassin. But her kind could sense danger before it even occurred.  
  
Something moved in the woods, behind Ryu. To big to be an animal, thought Lebel, and judging by the manner of the noise it was trying not to be herd. The mage seemed not to notice. He continued to bite into the griffon leg he had hunted. It was ever pre-cooked. He was 'force' to blow it out of the shy with a fireball. The bit of burn meat on the beats forehead was from the 'necessary' lightning blot that struck it in the head after to fell to make sure it was dead.  
  
The rustling movement happened again, this time thirty feet to the right of where it was before.  
  
"Ryu, we have..." Lebel began, but she was never able to finish her sentence. It was not a sudden burst of movement that startled Ryu into drawing his weapon; it was the spine tingling shriek that echoed around them. From in the trees, four creatures emerged, wings spread and fangs bore. They were all handsome men of elven build, except that they had coal black skin and fangs where their incisors should have been. Bat like wings jutted out of their shoulders and their long dead eyes glowed with a horrible red light and long black robes covered their muscular bodies. Vampires.  
  
The blood fiends pounced upon Ryu, all of them at once. They bashed into the mage at all different angles, making him collapse onto the ground. Lebel drew her crossbow, and snapped off the point to it. The vampires acute hearing hear the snap of the iron tip, and fled back into the trees. If one of those bolts (which was not the equivalent of wooden stakes) hit them...  
  
Ryu got up quickly, drawing his magical blade, Bane. He began cursing in Abyssal Elvis, the hybrid language of the vampires. Everything was silent for a long time, nothing moved at all. Everyone seemed to stop breathing. Then a hissing voice echoed from the trees.  
  
"Ryu...it issss a pleasure to meet the likesss of you. The most powerful magi in the world ssssome ssssay. Allow me to introduce mysssself." It said, coming from all directed at once, and at the same time none at all. The biggest, toughest, and well equipped of the vampires walked nonchalantly from the trees. Like his fellows, his fangs were all too prominent among his features. The vampires (which in eleven meant "cursed ones") were a lost tribe of elves...about a thousand in all at the time, which angered Avlar the ElfLord when they betrayed his for another god. He cursed them all to a state between life and death, forced to feed upon the life of others in order to survive.  
  
"My name is Agaaz. Master assassin of the Magi of the black Rose" The old vampire said, curling his lips into a smile.  
  
"I know damn well who you are." Ryu said, brandishing his sword. "I take it this is a compliment of my dear friend Asmodeus?"  
  
"Indeed. He sends his regards...and threats to you." Agaaz murmured, drawing a longsword. Lebel turned her head to look behind her, and saw the three other vampires coming up behind her. Ryu noticed as well.  
  
"Lets us begin, Agaaz. I shall taste your blood tonight, Vampire. Not you mine." Ryu said tauntingly. Then all hell broke loose.   
  
Lebel turned and fired a broken crossbow blot at one of the vampires. It hit him directly in the heart, and with a defeated scream he burst into dust. The other two lunged themselves at the assassin, their claws thrashing at her, gliding at her five feet off the ground. She dropped on her back and drew her daggers. As her enemies passed over her she slashed at them, ripping deep wounds in their stomachs. The beasts continued their flight, and toppled unto the ground. Lebel back-flipped over to them, slashing in frenzy at their shoulders, faces, and necks. The one to her left let out a moan of pain as it fell to the ground, unable to die but unable to move. The other, however, was made of stronger steel then his companion. He, while still on his knees, leaped onto Lebel's neck and tried to bite at her. The vampire's slender but powerful hands slashed at her stomach and arms. Lebel was cut, but not deeply. She managed to push off the creature just before its teeth sank into her.   
  
The assassin's foot moved in an awkward fashion, flinging itself up into the bloodfiends groin. They may be half dead, but it still hurt. It was with a small grunt of pain the third of the creatures burst into ashes as Lebel drove a crossbow blot backwards into its heart.   
  
When she turned around, two throwing knives drawn ready to be flung, she was surprised to see nothing but the flames of the fire. Everything was completely silent. Ryu and Agazz were nowhere to be found.  
  
Ryu let out an echoing roar as he battled with Agazz. He and the bloodfiend hand jumped deep into the woods, out of earshot of Lebel. The mage's blade was burning brightly and he slashed at Agazz, missing every time but cutting entire trees down in the process. This creature was far too fast to be battled with. Agazz's speed was astounding. His solid, handsome form had turned into a mere blur of motion and laughter. Finally Ryu had enough.  
  
"Omina valthos ne'carthia" He bellowed, putting his blade to his face in a ceremonial fashion. Time seemed to slow down slightly. Ryu could see trials of movement wherever Agazz had been, allowing him to guess where the vampire was going to be.  
  
The abomination turned, swinging his flaming blade in a 180 degree angle. Agazz then appeared in midair, tumbling towards the ground as Bane slashed a deep cut his face. The vampire recovered quickly, and used it telekinetic powers to blast the sword from Ryu's hand. Bane flipped in the air and landed with its still burning tip in an oak tree, which quickly began to burn. The Vampire then launched himself at him, with a deep, beast-like cry. The two of them flew back into brush, with the bloodfiend on top, biting at his neck. They fought with each other momentarily, and it was then Ryu had had enough of the fight.  
  
Time seemed to stop. The screaming of Agazz, the war cries of Ryu, all stopped. Only the single heartbeat of the abomination was herd. Slowly, and yet in a odd way it was so fast, Ryu began to change. The blood in his veins turned into a horrid acid, which ate away at his skin and his mind. It was a brief breach on sanity in Ryu's mind. His heart…it ached his sorrow for what was happening to him. Ryu fought his 'disease' with every particle of his soul. There was an echoing bang, and Agazz was thrown by an ungodly force from his prey. The bloodfiend only landed on his feet, but was far to horrified to move. The rumors about Ryu were true. He really was an abomination.   
  
Ryu arched his back, screaming in pain as the acidic blood destroyed him. He prayed to his god to save him.  
  
"Galicran! Have mercy on me! Please my lord! Don't do this to me…STOP IT! DON'T LET IT TAKE ME…I TRIED…"  
  
Ryu's desperate were droned out by a low gurgling noise, as the blood in his body expelled itself from his mouth. His pupils expanded, making his eyes completely black. His fingers became clawed, his muscles burst. Ryu's very body was dieing. Though, he managed to regain a small amount of control. The skin upon the mage turned black as obsidian, and his teeth elongated into fangs. He was a fragment of the abomination…the disease inside him. And then it all stopped. The body disappeared.  
  
Before Agazz could do anything, a fiend like no other was swooping down upon him. With a feral roar The Beast clawed at the vampire's face, who ducked just in time. The Beast magically reclaimed its sword from the tree. Agazz was barely able to defend himself, before the blade slashed and cut every conceivable place on his body.  
  
The dark eyes of The Abomination shown with malice as it muttered an incantation.  
  
"Nargos dythos!" He hissed, extending the sword directly at its foe. The flaming sword flew into the chest of the vampire, throwing him back into the flaming tree. There 'Ryu' stood and watched, as Agazz writhed in flames screaming as his body turned to ash. The most horrible part was, that the Abomination was forced back, and the normal Ryu (wounded and bleeding) was the one that enjoyed Agazz' painful death.   
  
Then Lebel came through the trees, horrified at what she had seen. Ryu really was… 


	5. Welcome To The Academy

Chapter 5 Welcome to The Academy "Pleasure is a sin"  
  
Ryu sat with his feet over the edge of a cliff, playing a dirge like song upon his small harp. The tune was dark and haunting, sending horrible chills down the spine of its musician. The bugs and worms around him scurried away fearful of the sounds that escaped from the instrument.  
Lebel had gone directly down into the city, wanting to get away from Ryu after his outrage. Who could blame here? Ryu had lost hid temper like an idiot, and now Lebel had seen a side of the mage no one was safe around.  
There was a brief time where the assassin tried to question Ryu about his change, but it was only a wishful attempt for answers. So far the mage had not said a word to her in over three days.  
Then he began to sing, and the moon came out from the clouds, answering the call. The elf sung of death, loss, and vengeance. The words echoed in countless languages, reverberating off the other side of the canyon before him, reaching down the forest city of Me'Hein'. The words fell together, turning into one dark note that brought tears to the eyes all who heard it.  
The deep purple cloak of this being flew out behind him, as the creatures of the night blessed him for his song. His robes matched the color his cloak, yet were oriented with golden designs and magical symbols. His katana lay at his side, its black scabbard glistening in the moonlight. The violet eyes of this elf glistened in their own right, giving him an aura of intimidation. Long sliver hair was spanned out behind him, as if it was animated my some alien arcane powers. Then he stopped playing, and the harp disappeared in a waif of smoke. He sat there for hours upon hours, looking into the starlit sky, enjoying the way the forest below blew in the wind.  
Then the voices started, as they always did.  
  
Hello, my dear Ryu.  
  
The mage scoffed, he hated the voices he heard in his head, the vile words they spoke. Sometimes there was more then one of them…talking to each other as well as elf. The latter was usually kind hearted, contradicting the hissing first voice that accused him of horrible deeds. Most of the deeds were true, however. Usually it was only the former of the two.  
It was your fault, you let them all die Have you conscience?  
Do you enjoy murdering innocent souls?  
You mother died because of YOU  
  
It went on like this for a long time, the voice degrading Ryu, and the mage doing nothing to stop the sound. Every now and then he would respond to the voice, and get a sadistic, gleeful, laugh from within his own mind. Ryu acted as if nothing was wrong, but deep inside these deeds haunted him. He had been guilty over the past thousand years of his life of murder, torture, and mass destruction. Ryu found it fun, he enjoyed it, although, the victims of his 'murders' were mainly in self defense, or in carrying out a mission of good intentions. The mage's ends were pure, but his ways of going about them were vulgar indeed.  
  
Don't you ignore me! Your intentions were well, but murder is murder!  
You're like me, aren't you? You enjoy ending a life You like hearing a heart slowly come to a stop…  
  
After an hour, the voice trailed off, ending at last. Was Ryu insane? With out a doubt, and he liked it that way. The mage got up, grabbed his magical katana from the ground. The elf sighed, and casually walked off the cliff as fell into the city below. The trees rose up to meet him, as the buildings within the forest made their presence known.  
  
Small lights from taverns and homes could be seemed from within the trees. Bridges and balconies could be seen, built in-between the oak trees. The sound of elven maidens singing joyful tunes could be herd, the occasional nymph or faerie could be seen drifting from bar to bar, tavern to tavern. This was the city on Me'Hein', the elven capital of the world. King Aearur VI was the ruler of the vast kingdom, and made his home in the city. His castle was the only building not crafted from the trees, and shown as a tower piercing through the trees.  
  
Ryu slowed and touched base on one of the gigantic branches of the oaks, nearly ten feet across, and continued his decent, down to the base on the tree, where the Academy. The Great tree loomed hundreds of feet above Ryu, and he slowly walked into the oak itself, passing into the Academy, where his pupils would be gathering, expecting a class.  
  
Domiel Moonscribe rushed along the corridor of the academy, passing the magnificent paintings not thinking twice. The dingy hallway was lit only by torches every ten feet or so. The green robe that was donned by the student was flying out from behind him, his shoulder length black hair was a mess. The books he was carrying were barely in his grip, his quill and parchment tucked in a robe pocket.  
  
He was late! For the first class taught by Lord Evenstar in over fifty years! Domiel didn't care so much about being late…it was more the prospect of meeting Lord Evenstar in person. It was an honor, no…a gift. The rumors about the Lord being the son of a demon were dismissed by the young elf as jealous ploys made to discredit a great wizard. No one believed the stories, despite the fact he was…stricter then other professors. The idiotic tales about him being insane were nothing less then superstitious legends. Insanity was for failures, Lord Evenstar was a genius…a victories and great mage in nearly all he opposed. And Lord Evenstar argued with many things. Domiel idolized his Lord, a respected member of Me'Hein's council, and would certainly not be late for his class…if he could help it.  
  
The student slowed as the door at the end of the corridor drew closer. He stopped, took a deep breath, and turned the handle.  
  
It wasn't much. The room was roughly fifty feet across and the same depth. The ceiling was twenty feet or so above him, with tapestries and paintings hanging from the walls. Six tables surrounded by four armchairs each were set in a circle in the middle of the room, where Domiel's peers sat, speaking in hushed voices. They all turned their heads when Domiel entered, and the female students all waved hello. Many of the boys rolled their eyes. Domiel sat down, thankful his Lord and not yet arrived.  
  
He examined the paintings on the walls, after greeting the girl on his left. Many were of legendary or famous mages. Others, however, showed hated sorcerers from old times, the great warlords of the past. These paintings were enhanced to appear intimidating to the students, to keep them in line. This class, Domiel soon figured, was no joke. After all, only a select few were chosen for Advanced Elemental.  
  
In a swishing of his cloak and a small burst of light, Lord Ryu Evenstar appeared in the center of the classroom, glaring at the imbeciles he would have to teach.  
  
"My name, for all intentional purposes, is 'Lord, Sir, Master, Liege' or anything other then Ryu. I am an accomplished mage and shall be treated with respect. If you survive this class, then and only then may you call me by my name. Do you understand?" Ryu said evilly, he hated students, he hated having to teach. Ryu hated everything, now that he though of it. There were low murmurs of 'yes my lord', and 'yes master' from the small amount of students. They were in awe of being this close to such a famous wizard. This annoyed Ryu, who the hell said he wanted to be famous? Who in the entire abyss made it so he was so liked? It made the Sorcerer sick, the way the girls goggled at him with wide eyes.  
  
"You've all gotten into this class, have you?" Ryu inquired "Well, let me tell you this right from the start. If you screw around in here you will die. If not by my hand it will be by one of you moronic fools mixing two spell components that shouldn't be. So!" Ryu said, clapping his hands, "Let's start. I assume you all understand the Forces that Are? Good, Law, Chaos, and Evil? Each governed by a deity. Raziel the Holy, Try the Just, Shiva the Destroyer, and the imprisoned Asmodeus the Terrible in that order. Those, as I amuse you jesters know, are the great powers that divide magic." Ryu continued, already realizing that he had lost them. It had been nearly a year since these pitiful students had been in class. Only Domiel seemed to know what was going on.  
"Furthermore, I'm guessing you all know about the Forces that Be. Fire, Water, Earth, Air, Light, and Darkness? The powers that stimulate each individual spell?" At this even Domiel's smirk changed to a frown…Ryu cursed. This was going to be harder then he thought.  
  
Ryu went thought all the basics of magic, explaining how the many forces complimented, destroyed and canceled each other out. For example…mixing water and fire cancel; however when you mix light and darkness you end up in a box being lowered into the ground.  
  
"If one uses the right skills and knows what he is doing," Ryu explained, annoyed, "It is very possible to create a spell that burns with ice, or freezes with fire." The students scribbled notes and diagrams down upon their parchment, as Ryu drew them in the air. Golden letters and symbols shimmered in front of every student, allowing them time to copy down useful information. He lectured excellently on the different forces and how they mixed with others. He showed them how Transmutation spells, when cast upon the person, can change in individual cellular blocks in you body. Then Ryu asked for a volunteer, and when no one answered his call he smirked. The entire student body had been warned never to raise their hand to help in this class.  
"Domiel, my dear friend," Ryu said coldly, "You were late to this class. Instead of giving you a free lesson in self defense I will humiliate you before you classmates. Do you object?" Domiel reddened, his mouth dropped. "I assume you're not going to repute that." Ryu said, beckoning the elf of 17 human years to the clearing in-between the desks. The boy listened to his Lord, not at all pleased to be there anymore. "Now Domiel, I want you to conjure a simple ball of flame." This the student did, raising his hand and calling the Forces the Be to his fingertips. Within seconds a shimmering ball of red-orange flames was flaring.  
  
"Turn it blue." Domiel did, but the ball still remained of fire, not of ice or water. "Black, and Green." Ryu commanded, and the pupil did so each in turn.  
  
"Now all three at once." Ryu hissed from behind pursed lips.  
  
When Domiel tried to channel the forces of Earth and Darkness into a fire dominated area…there was a slight conflict. The powers battled with each other for dominance; apparently fire was the strongest in this situation. Domiel was engulfed in a cloud of black mist, and the floor beneath the apprentice softened into quicksand. The black mist was sinking into the earth, and the mage with it, now screaming for help.  
  
"My dear pupil." Ryu said, knelling and speaking to the darkness from which horrified screams were echoing. "There is a three student death limit each professor is given. That means each teacher may have up to three deaths per year before the Me'Hein officials begin to think foul play is at hand. Accidents do happen when tampering with magic after all. This is my first course in fifty years…I believe that's 150 students in my class that can have "accidents". Shall we make it 149?" The Lord continued, speaking over the yells. According to Ryu's timing, Domiel had about ten seconds left before his head went under the sand…then he realized he was mistaken when everything grew silent. He sighed, and considered letting the boy die. Domiel was a pompous fool after all.  
  
When Ryu gazed into the eyes of his other students, and by their appalled looks he decided it was best not to kill a student on the first day. Besides, the 3-student threat was a bluff. Accidents did happen though…  
  
Ryu reached into the darkness and grabbed Domiel by the hair. He pulled, flinging the boy across the room back into his desk.  
  
"It was an illusion you twit. You couldn't channel water through an aqueduct, let alone magical energies through you soul. Class dismissed." Ryu snapped, having his fun for the day. As the other students packed up, many ghostly white, Ryu glided over to a tearful Domiel, aghast at what had just happened to him.  
  
"I'm s-sorry…M-m-aster…E-evens-s-tar." Domiel sobbed, he would never be late for anything again.  
  
"I did that because you are a prideful, selfish, ungrateful little whelp. I did a divination on your past yesterday, and I'm being quiet frank when I say that you are indeed and asshole. Clean yourself up, you have talent my boy, now don't screw up." Lord Evenstar said, in an oddly father-like voice. With that, Ryu disappeared into smoke, leaving Domiel to be tortured by his classmates.  
  
Ryu had given such harsh punishment to the boy for a reason; his past was not unlike the Mages own. Domiel was young, with great talent. His mother had been murdered, and the boy felt it was his fault, and his father ran off when he was born. The events of his mother's death changed Domiel forever; he was a nice boy at one point. Now he only wants more power. Ryu's past was much worse, but followed those lines. If only the past could be changed…  
  
Now that his annoying chore of teaching was over, Ryu was able to get to more important things done. Ryu was casually around the braches of the great trees, across the bridges, and took occasional shortcuts through taverns. Nymphs and Dryads giggled as he past, for the mage was well known among their kind for 'helping' them. The lesser sprites were less amused by his passing, as were many of the elven citizen's.  
  
Is it not odd, Ryu thought to himself, how the people love me or hate me? Can't the just pick one?  
  
You know as well as I that the people do not hate you. They are afraid of you. Why must you treat everyone like they are nothing but dirt upon your boot?  
  
The mage cursed at the voice, this particular one was such a goodie-two shoe it nearly made his ill.  
  
I am NOT a goodie-two show. I do what is right, and you would two if you listened to your heart!  
  
"I don't have a heart, my mental friend." Ryu said truthfully. "The part of me that loves died so long ago…"  
  
You say it died but it merely slumbers.  
  
Ryu scoffed, and kept walking towards the top of his current tree via a winding staircase. He would have liked this voice, if it wasn't for the fact it made him look upon his wrongdoings do often. The other one did the same, except it congratulated him for it. Madness.  
  
In the high branches of he oak tree there Ryu stopped, and willed himself to see the door of his destination. As simple as that, one of the branches bent up, so Ryu could walk through it. He did so, entering a Temple of Cliodna, Goddess of Beauty.  
  
The temple was fit for nothing less then a goddess of love. Marble walls of the utmost perfection surrounded the mage, paintings and busts of the priests lined ever wall. Statues of Cliodna herself were placed periodically, most in tempting poses.  
  
Ryu stood, quite out of place, in the entrance hall of this church. The vain and self absorbed priests could be seen through gigantic windows directly across from him. A door to his left opened, and from it emerged a hardly clothed cleric. His hair was short cut and taken care of very well. Not a single blemish was shown upon his skin, and he laughed to himself as he greeted Ryu, who made a disgusted face.  
  
"Hello there, Ryu. What brings you to the church of The Radiant One?" He said in a sing-song voice. He was rather gay, and this annoyed Ryu.  
  
"I wish to call upon Jocelyn, I have business with her." The mage, rudely  
  
"She has business with you, my friend"  
  
"Whatever, just get her." Ryu snapped, and the young human recoiled.  
  
"Fine then, my Lord. She's in the bathing house." He said, quite offended at Ryu's impatience. Without nodding to the priest, Ryu preceded though the opposite door, down a long hallway, and into the bath house.  
  
It was indeed astonishing. The marble taps were unique inventions in these churches only, created so bathing could be more convenient. The water was a sapphire blue and the bath itself large enough for ten people. On the opposite bank, a beautiful and voluptuous female priestess was waist deep in the spring sized bath. She looked up without worry in her shining blue eyes as the door opened. When she saw Ryu, she smiled, showing her white teeth. She shook her black hair, and swam under water towards the mage.  
  
"Hello Ryu, how fair ye?" The elven youth said. She was at least a century younger then Ryu…then again that wasn't much in elven time.  
  
"Very well now that I'm here, Jocelyn." Ryu said playfully.  
  
"Join me, I have something to discuss with you." She said, gazing at him suggestively. Ryu considered briefly, and then de-robed. It's not as if the other clerics would care. The mage slipped without shame into the pool of warm water. Jocelyn frowned, however, when he took a seat directly across from her.  
  
"Well then, Lebel my dear, what is you wanted with me?" Ryu said, knowing very well what she wanted.  
  
"Have you done any divination recently?" Jocelyn asked. It was an odd question.  
  
"Yes, recently on one of my students. Why?" Ryu answered, raising an eyebrow.  
  
"Did you notice the disturbances in the spell? It's like someone is bending the magical fields around the city. I can't do any divinations at all."  
  
"It took longer for the energies to reach my orb, other then that it was quite simple."  
  
"Well. You are Ryu Evenstar, aren't you? Minor disturbances may not affect you, but they sure as the Hells upset others. It's only with divination spells as well. I can't scry at all. Hell, I couldn't read my own tarot! I just got the card "The Devil" every time. I'm not obsessed with anything either." Jocelyn said, and now she has Ryu's attention. The girl was the temple's Seer, and she was very good at what she did.  
  
"Ill check it out when I get home, how about that?" Ryu said, and he planned to. There were very few disturbances in magic nowadays. Only possibility was that a deity of some sort of intervening, but couldn't stop the spells completely. There was opposition, and Ryu knew exactly who that opposing power was. It took a lot to mess with magic after all. "Now I have a favor to ask of you." Ryu added.  
  
"And what might that be?" Jocelyn answered, leaning her neck back to wet her hair.  
  
"Do a tarot reading, and ask about the coming year. Even if you say it dosent work…just try for me" The mage said, very seriously. Jocelyn scoffed.  
  
"I can't Ryu, haven't you been listening? Besides, what's in it for me?" She chided. Ryu grinned. The mage knew full well loveless sex was banned by this church, but sometimes sinning is a pleasure. Ryu drew close to Jocelyn, and kissed her gently. Her lips were so soft…  
  
Sweet Blasphemy 


	6. Raziel And Asmodeus

Chapter 6 Raziel and Asmodeus Memories are terrible things  
  
He was indeed a legendary figure by his appearance alone. His skin was metallic silver, his eyes a beautiful yet horrible mass of the golden sun. His gossamer white robes flowed with a life of their own, and the Holy Sword named, Yahweh was at his side. It was his hair that made him so memorable however. It fell in large blade-like forms on gold and silver to his shoulders. They in themselves could cut through iron, if not steel. He was regal, yet humble. His was handsome, yet terrifying. He was indeed the pinnacle of good, for there was no creature like him in all the planes that was so pure, so holy, so…perfect. There was even perfection in the way He blinked; the way He tapped his hallowed fingers upon the arm of is throne.  
  
Raziel the Holy, God of Good, sat upon his throne and stared above him into the starry night. Using his magick, Raziel could manipulate his castle so that it appeared in any form his wished. Currently he was in a medium sized marble room, with no roof. The moon reflected its rays off His metallic skin and eyes. Such a peaceful entity he was.  
  
No one had ever tried to battle Raziel, and only once in all His time in eternity had He ever drawn his sword. It was to fight Asmodeus, and to save a poor young angel by the name of Ryu. The Holy One had been personal friends with Helen the boys mother, a member of Heavens council, but not yet an Archangel. Ryu's father's name was Sariel in elvish tongue; He was one of the seven great generals in heavens army. Raziel was good friends with Sariel…  
  
Then the death of The Holy One's brother, Satan, alarmed him so. He had not liked his brother, God of Evil, but he still…loved him in an odd sense. He did not like the way his father Galicran was so stubborn and self centered…but he loved him. Raziel loved all gods, no matter how evil. He loved all mortals, no matter how foul.  
  
A single tear ran down Raziels face, as he looked into the stars. Angels do cry, after all, perhaps once. Once in an eternity. The memories of Ryu's family were too much, even for a god to bear. But even after Asmodeus murdered Ryu's parents… Raziel had no hate for him. His level of comprehension did not allow hate.  
  
Within the Memories of Raziel  
  
The blissful realm of Heaven sat in all its glorified nature upon the Platinum Sea, its waves lapped unto the shores of the city peacefully. Every home was made of marble, and the residents laughed and smiled at every turn of the head. The roads crisscrossed in perfectly symmetrical patterns. All was well in the city of Yahweh.  
  
No one was expecting the alarms to go off suddenly at about twilight. Never before had the city become under attack, so many were unsure of what was going on. Not a soul was mistaken, however, when the ground ripped itself open, enveloping the buildings at its whim, and demons of all kinds poured into the Holy City. The rift stretched for a mile or so, spewing lava and fire from its depths. All manner of horrid creatures began tearing the city apart. Those unfortunate enough to be near the rift were either pulled into the fire, or eaten by the first wave of monsters. Mephistopheles stepped over the brink, spreading his ash-wings in delight. He let out a roar of unholy power, shattering walls like glass. Heaven's Army responded with lightning speed, literally. Blots of electric power burst from the most unlikely of places, bouncing off their foes and forming into angelic soldiers. Their glistening armor and flaming swords, although magnificent, were little match for these most powerful of demons. Only Raziel's personal guard could handle such powers. The battle for the 'right to rule' had begun.  
  
Mephistopheles particularly took pleasure has he slashed through entire regiments with his Naginaki blade, he breathed fire unto buildings that were larger then him, and simply crushed those that went. He laughed malevolently as the melted marble fell onto a group of solders. Their screams enticed his rampage. The Duke of Evil took time to magically levitate one solider in and out of the lava, wondering how long it would take before the armor would meld to his skin. And so he walked slowly towards the center of the city, where the Supreme Palace stood. Slowly the other lords of Hell made their way into the battle field, like great thunderstorms slowly rising upon dark winds; and in the center of the storm, stood its very core power: Asmodeus the Terrible. Unlike now, the Lord of Evil was not frail and weak; instead he was well muscled and darkly handsome. The bottom half of wizards robe covered his red-skinned legs, and a silk, black-colored, open vest was on his back. It revealed a tattoo on his blood red chest. A pentagram in flames. Two horns extruded from his head curling on themselves and jutting to the right and left; two islands of brown in a mat of greasy black hair.  
  
The battle continued, the demons were winning easily. Only Mephistopheles was fighting out of the Lords of Hell. The others trotted exultantly down the corpse covered roads, perhaps with the exception of Asmodeus' occasional blast of arcane magic. The remaining citizens scattered into the arms of the lesser demons as the Duke's passed, fearing a painful death at their hands rather then the gruesome one that awaited them in the claws of a Pit Fiend. This was the only true power. The only constant force that kept the masses at bay, and truly allowed the greater ruling class sway: fear. Asmodeus in particular took delight as the lowly creatures ran from his unholy gaze. So horrid were the eyes of this dark king that even Cassius the Pain Bringer averted his. Asmodeus could gain submission from any living creature with but an utter of a word. His power was truly awing. Then of course...he was once an angel.  
  
Only this fact brought shame to the Dark One's spirit. He had once been an angel, a senator in the Celestial Council. A "good man". He had two wonderful sons, a beautiful and powerful sorcerer as a wife. He was rich, and powerful in his own right. But greed had beckoned him. He could remember the day he proposed a cleansing of Mal'Hal, and offered to lead the crusade into the material world a little two eagerly. Raziel himself raised an eyebrow at his delight in the 'cleansing' of mortals. The God of Good decided not to speak about it, until he heard The Dark One speak of it as a final solution to end all evil in the world. The words Raziel spoke to Asmodeus' still burnt a hole in his stomach.  
  
"Perhaps you should be cleansed, dearest Lucius. Your eagerness the slaughter mortals troubles not only me." The asinine fool! Such anger arose inside the Dark One that he began to shout at The Holy. At this instant he was removed from Heaven, and thrown into the pits of Hell. He renamed himself Lucifer, which in the Abyssal language was pronounced "Asmodeus". It was in Hell that he was taken in by Satan, who was at the time God of Evil. Asmodeus' gained Satan's trust, and when the time was right crafted and succeeded in an elaborate coo. Asmodeus quickly drained Satan of all his divine power, thus stopping one of the other non-deity lords of Hell from taking his place. They fell swiftly to his wrath, and bowed before him. Now Lucifer had come to finish what he had started. A cleansing…but this time in the Name of Evil.  
  
Asmodeus finally stopped his march admits the chaos in front of an old home. He remembered the man that used to live here…and his wife. It was grand in size, and magnificent in stature. Marble sculptures and columns littered the outside walls, a gate surrounded the property. With a curt gesture, Asmodeus flung the gates open. At the same instant the door to the estate dove off its hinges. Standing in the opening was a beautiful woman, her white robes glistened with heavenly power, and her vivid green eyes (much like Ryu's) gazed in absolute hate at the man standing before her. She called in a sing song voice that sounded more like a dirge.  
  
"There was once something there Lucifer. You used to have a soul. You gave it all away because you were greedy; because you wanted power." From across the yerd Asmodeus grinned at her accusing words.  
  
"There was once something there, Dearest Helen. I am not the man you knew.. Not the man you knew on the Celestial Council. I'm not a man at all anymore." he said comely. The two nemisi stood glaring at one another for a long period. The other lords of hell watched. The woman pushed back a small child, who was yelling curses at The King of Evil. Then, with lightning speed and agility, the woman raised her arms and cried an incantation.  
  
"Silia electra incarna!" She spat, and with that simple command the power of the heavens was at her fingertips. She brought her arm swinging down; stopping when she pointed at the dark figure she hated so. With a crack like an earthquake a blot of lightning sprung from her fingers. A blinding flash followed, causing even the spells caster to close her eyes reflexively. Asmodeus conjured a barrier to stop the blot, but had to fight to keep it at bay. It trusted itself at the red wall of magical protection like a living force. Breathing heavy, the Dark Lord deflected the blast of lightning into the face of one of his fellows. He shrieked in pain, and the others laughed. It was all a game to them. The entire world was a playing field for them to manipulate and destroy but their whims.  
  
Lucifer counter attacked with godly speed. He flung his hand about in unholy patterns, calling upon his inherited demonic powers rather then arcane magic. These needed no incantations. With a bone shattering scream that was uttered from no mouth the columns and fence of the house shattered. The ground quaked and cracked. A black light so wholly evil it chilled even Asmodeus' soul erupted from his index finger. It shot towards the woman with such speed she had no time to invoke any kind of protection. The beam hit her with a bone crushing force, and even at a distance you hear her ribs, arms, legs, and neck break. She flew back through the door way. This time the scream was high pitched...young. A young child with silver hair and green eyes ran in a complete rage towards Asmodeus. He was screaming insults and blasphemies. The dark lord laughed as the boy ran towards him, but was unprepared for what came next. The boy, still running, was moving his hands in magical patterns...powerful ones. It was too late before he remembered that the child had inborn abilities in magical studies. He was a sorcerer, a true practitioner of magic.  
  
A ball of purple flames exploded in front of Lucifer, barely fazing him, but still burning. "The boy was destined to become very powerful indeed" Asmodeus thought as he actually needed to concentrate to dodge the barrage of spells that was being thrown at him. "It is a shame that he did not join my vendetta like his brother did. What was his name...ahh...yes...I remember now. I need the boy…shame I cant kill him"  
  
The angelic child leaped in an unknown rage at the Dark One, a small dagger drawn taken from his mother's dead body. Asmodeus caught the child by the neck and murmured the boy's name.  
  
"Ryu" His lips curled into an evil grin. "What a pleasant surprise. My, my you have grown. I noticed you were spying on my with your mother's crystal ball. You know you not supposed to do that."  
  
"YOU...KILLED...MOM...YOU...#&($!" Ryu gasped in hate. "YOU...#$&(&()#$...ILL KILL...YOU....ONE DAY...I SWEAR..."  
  
Lucifer did not take lightly these insults. He threw the boy back ten...twenty...thirty feet. With quick gesture blots of lightning erupted from the Dark Ones' eyes, hitting the boy with tremendous force. For a short while, Asmodeus took pleasure in how the boy writhed and squirmed in pain. How his hands were beating against the stone ground, bleeding. How he called for his mother to help him, praying to Raziel…Galicran…anyone that she would get up and fight once again. This did not happen, however. It was only until Asmodeus levitated the body closer to Ryu that he truly understood. His mother was dead, and she was not going to come back. Worse yet, was what the man that killed her was. The lighting ceased, and Ryu stopped screaming, he trembled, and wept at his mother feet.  
  
Like an unknown terror, he walked silently over to the small child, and picked him up by the collar. Ryu did not fight, simply stared at the eyes of his mother, tears rolling down his cheeks. Silently to himself, the small child was thinking murderous thoughts, and swearing upon his soul that he would slay The Bastard  
  
Without the merest trace of uncomforted, Asmodeus gently let the child fall onto the saddle of the steed in nearly a fatherly fashion. Although the battle raged endless around them, and so many powerful being surrounded him, Ryu was truly unafraid. Asmodeus bent close to the boy's ear and whispered.  
  
"It was for the best, child. You mother was weak; she did not know how to raise a child to his full potential  
  
They rode out of the city, past the open gates, and out into the fields; Towards the Platinum Sea. Its waters, made of liquid platinum, radiated no heat, and streaked endlessly across the plane.  
  
"We are going to go home soon, Ryu." Lucifer continued. Ryu spat in his face. "Why you little..." The Dark Ones Configure changed instantly from fatherly to loathing. Ryu was thrown off the horse onto the ground. Before he could utter a single comment, he was silenced, for the boy heard a sound that renewed his hope. Trumpets...angelic trumpets. The war cry of Raziel The Holy; The King and undisputed ruler of Heaven. A rift in the sky, identical to the one below, opened in the clouds. Thousands upon thousands of Cherubim & Seraphim warrior's wielding flaming greatswords came pelting to the ground like beams of holy light. One particularly bright beam of white light came towards them. It was none other then The Holy One himself.  
  
Raziel the Crusader: the God of Good, in all his glory and magnificence let out a terrifying shriek of rage as he pelted towards them. Ryu dived for cover and Raziel slashed his katana at Asmodeus, cursing him.  
  
The Holy One brought his blade slashing down upon the Dark Lord, who was sprawled on the ground. Asmodeus instantly conjured up his own weapon of choice: a heavy mace adorned with rubies and pentagrams. He blocked the blow and forced Raziel back into the ranks of his Lords. This was child splay. The Holy dropped each of the lesser lords with impunity. Only Mephistopheles took more then a few seconds. His giant form over powered Raziel, and cut his across the chest with his gigantic blade, pelting him to the ground with earth shattering force. During this time, Asmodeus was preparing himself. Countless protection and warding spells fell upon the Dark One like raindrops as his arms moved in frantic patterns.  
  
Mephistopheles let out a roar of anger as Raziel shoved his katana into his heart. All the other lords of Evil fled in a rushing of wind and flash of fire. Raziel stood triumphantly at facing Asmodeus's now glowing body.  
  
"I haven't the time for this, Lucifer. I cast you down from this Heaven and forbade thee from returning. I command you to leave at once, or suffer my wrath!" The Holy said in a deep booming voice. Asmodeus spat.  
  
"I refuse to let myself be commanded by a whelp like you!" The dark one said, launching himself at him enemy. His mace made contact with Raziel, ripping open a new wound in his arm. The lord of Heaven responded with a slash from his sword to Asmodeus' back, and a quick fleeting incantation.  
  
"Nephtuhus hala dum!" He said, pointing his blade towards the Dark ones face as he turned. A searing blast of light erupted from its point, striking his enemy in the face and causing a disgusting sizzle of sound. Lucifer wailed in pain and agony as the holy light at his skin. Then he felt the slashed from Raziel's blade. Twenty...thirty...forty strikes to his arms, legs, chest, and face. He was blasted back with another helping of holy light, and slid over a hundred feet before he stopped moving. He moaned in pain...a jest. Raziel in the distance spread his wings and glided with ease towards his nemesis. Just before he landed, Asmodeus jumped up and smacked him across the face with his unhallowed mace. He cringed, but shook off the otherwise devastating blow. Raziel was not ready for the other seven however. One upon each of his limbs, another to his face, and two to his chest.  
  
It was now that Ryu thought of a useful spell. His father had taught it to him before it happened. The spell conjured a pentacle (symbol of good) around a thinry foot radius, empowering to good, and harming the evil. This he did, saying "Vive, Vie, Vama"  
  
A golden shadow of power exploded from where he sat, striking Raziel and Amodeus by surprise. The holy light shocked Lucifer with an electric jolt, and caused Raziel to glow with a new power. While Asmodeus was stunned, Raziel took his chance, and drove his blade into his heart.  
  
As if waiting (and Raziel was sure they were) chains of adamantine strength appeared out of nowhere, and anchored themselves to the air. They wrapped around Lucifer, and with one cold glance at Ryu, he disappeared, doomed for hundreds of years of pain and fire in Tattarus. Knowing their leader was fallen, and Raziel would soon return to the battlefield, the remaining demons in the city ran.  
  
Bleeding and wounded, The Holy walked slowly over to Ryu, and thanked him without a word spoken, simply putting his hand upon the small boys shoulders. He looked into Ryu's eyes, and saw not good nature as was known for angels, but a gleaming horrid hate. It was not obvious to anyone at all; for Ryu was currently more joyous then he had been in years, but behind the kindness, the happiness, and the power, the Holy saw hate. Raziel had known Ryu's parents well...but they were now dead. He considered taking Ryu in as his own...but that hate scared Raziel beyond anything Asmodeus has done. Ryu wasn't an angel, he wasn't fit to be one. Ryu was a monster, an abomination.  
  
Raziel had no choice send Ryu away from Heaven, and thus the Holy One placed him the care of an elven family in the city of Me'Hein'. There he stayed, and met him first love, a beautiful mortal by the name of Lebel.  
  
Now another tear ran down the hallowed face of the deity. It was a shame…so much beauty destroyed by darkness. Raziel couldn't stand evil, but did not hold a grudge against it. His own brother, Satan, had been Lord of Evil for a short time, before his murder at Asmodeus' hands.  
  
How could Galicran have let Asmodeus escape? And who was the entity in the cloak that led all the others to give offerings? These questions tormented Raziel. 'Twas ironic, no? A God of Good in torment? Then again…what was good but a lebel put on things by human beings? 


End file.
